| Looks like becoming another The Fast and the | | | | Apparently technology has been a great help for |
| Furious wannabe would now entail more than just | | | | racers, as they use the Internet and text |
| guts and skill. | | | | messaging to quickly call races and locations, |
| In Canada, where trucker David Virgoe met his | | | | making it difficult for police to stake out races. |
| tragic death on Highway 400 after an accident | | | | "What I would say to anybody who is engaging in |
| allegedly caused by street racing, officials are | | | | the illegal act of street racing is we don't need to |
| putting down their foot and are now intent on | | | | wait until that car hits the road fully loaded. |
| getting tough on street racers. | | | | "The damage that these vehicles can cause can |
| Likening speed shops that make street racers to | | | | sometimes be catastrophic," Bryant said in his |
| bomb factories or illegal drug labs, Attorney | | | | message at Queen’s Park, referring to |
| General Michael Bryant warns "juiced-up" cars | | | | Virgoe's death. |
| could be seized and destroyed before even hitting | | | | While Bryant declined to discuss details of Virgoe's |
| the road. | | | | death or the three men charged in it, he noted |
| "Just on the balance of probabilities if we can | | | | "Ontario Crown prosecutors are using the brand |
| establish that a car is being used for the unlawful | | | | new street racing crime provisions under the |
| purpose of street racing, we will seize it and you | | | | Criminal Code for these offences. |
| will never see it again. "We will crush your car, we | | | | "We have in Ontario generally the ability to seize |
| will crush the parts." | | | | street racing cars," he said. |
| York Regional Police Chief Armand La Barge | | | | About Street Racing Street racing is a form of |
| welcomed Bryant's get-tough words saying that | | | | unsanctioned and illegal auto racing which takes |
| since 1999, 39 people have been killed in the | | | | place on public roads. Street racing can either be |
| Greater Toronto Area because of illegal road | | | | spontaneous or well-planned and coordinated. |
| racing. "We welcome any proposed new legislation | | | | Spontaneous races usually occur at intersections |
| to make it easier to do that (seize vehicles in | | | | where two cars stop at a red light before they |
| road racing). That's the type of strong message | | | | begin racing. Well coordinated races, in comparison, |
| that needs to go out," he said. | | | | are chosen before the race night and often have |
| La Barge added that he would like to see the | | | | a people communicating via 2-way radio/citizens' |
| courts send a tougher message to people | | | | band radio and using police scanners and GPS units |
| charged with racing. According to La Barge, his | | | | to mark locations of local police hot spots. |
| officers have laid some 550 racing charges over | | | | Because vehicles used in street racing |
| the past six weeks, but that many drivers expect | | | | competitions more often than not lack |
| to be treated lightly by the courts. Police try to | | | | professional racing safety equipment such as roll |
| educate road racers, sometimes it turns out to | | | | cages and fuel cells and drivers seldom wear |
| be an exercise in futility, he said. | | | | firesuits and are not trained in high-performance |
| Sgt. David Mitchell, a York Region traffic officer, | | | | driving, injuries and fatalities are common results |
| said road racers range from teenagers driving | | | | from accidents. Illegal street racers also put |
| their parents' cars to adults who have spent | | | | ordinary drivers at risk because they race on |
| hundreds of thousands of dollars modifying cars. | | | | public roads rather than closed-course, |
| Some have been so overhauled they would be | | | | purpose-built facilities. More recently the rise of |
| unfit for a motor speedway, he said. | | | | chop shops which sell anything and everything |
| Charged drivers, said Mitchell, often choose to | | | | from engine parts to Honda distributor cap has |
| take their chances with the court because they | | | | been associated with street racing. |
| believe "not much is going to happen there." | | | | |